A Clean Break (epilogue)
by cein
Summary: What happened *after* Peter & Chen left Dave & Cleo alone


A Clean Break - epilogue  
  
Warning - this was written purely for my own enjoyment.   
It's rated 'R' for smut and for being PWP.  
Many many thanks to Kelley for her editing assistance.   
  
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Previously on ER -   
Cleo dumped Peter but he wouldn't take the hint. She and Jing-Mei had a girl's night in. Slightly tipsy, they decided to hire a 'nearly nude' cleaner to entertain them. To their surprise, the 'cleaner' turned out to be Dave Malucci, doing a little moonlighting to supplement his income. Jing-Mei was initially reluctant to stay once she found out the identity of the cleaner, but Cleo persuaded her. Midway through the evening, Peter turned up, punched out Dave because he thought he was 'taking advantage' of Cleo, and as a punishment was forced to finish Dave's cleaning job. (Although he *was* allowed to keep his pants on)  
  
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Cleo looked sideways at Dave and mentally compared him to Peter. Lets see, bodies...well, both were pretty good...but Dave did seem to be that bit more muscular. Brains...no real contest there...both were qualified doctors, so they had to have *some* intelligence. Personality...Dave would win that one hands down, that was for sure. Peter only ever seemed to think about his work and his son. Cleo sighed heavily.  
  
Dave looked up from gloating at the sight of 'Dr. Pete' and glanced at Cleo. "You okay there?" he asked with genuine concern.  
  
"Yeah...I'll be fine," said Cleo. Chalk up one more point for Malucci, she thought to herself. Definitely there was no contest, she thought as she turned her smile on Dave and leaned in a bit closer. And who knew...with a bit of luck, she might be able to find out how he 'measured up' to Peter in, ahem, 'other areas'...but that would be another story.  
  
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A few hours later, Dave was the only 'guest' remaining. Peter had been paged back to the hospital, and Jing-Mei had accepted his offer of a lift home. Dave had insisted on staying to finish cleaning up the mess, much to Peter's disgust.   
  
"Hey, you paid for the whole evening," he had said with a smile. "I *can't* leave."  
  
So Cleo had sat there and watched as he completed the task at hand. It was somehow less erotic than when she had been watching him earlier...maybe because she had sobered up...maybe because Dave seemed a little more relaxed than he had been. It wasn't dull though. Dave had a large fund of jokes, both clean and otherwise, with which he regaled her while he worked.   
  
But all too soon the apartment was clean and the evening was over. With a sigh of regret, Cleo watched as Dave retreated into the bathroom to pull his clothes on. It seemed a bit absurd for him to wish to dress in private...especially considering that he had spent most of the evening wearing just a bow tie and a pair of faded denim shorts with a few strategically placed rips in the seat...but then as Cleo realized, that was when he was 'on the clock'...now that his time was his own, it was clear that she wasn't getting any 'freebies'.  
  
"So," said Cleo as Dave emerged from the bathroom fully clothed. "Did you clean up in there as well?"  
  
Dave grinned. "The place was clean as a whistle. Hell, you could probably eat off the floor in there."  
  
"I wouldn't go quite that far...but my cleaner...my *usual* cleaner, that is...she does a pretty good job."  
  
"Bet she's not as hot as I am?" said Dave, laughing.  
  
"Hell no," said Cleo, grinning. "No contest there." She found it hard to drag her eyes away from the way his jeans clung to his body. Man, he must have shrunk them to fit or sprayed them on, or something like that.  
  
"Yo, earth calling Cleo." She heard Dave's voice and forced her attentions higher up his body...her gaze stopping briefly at his pecs...his muscles emphasized rather than hidden by the tightly fitting t-shirt. Finally she stared into his eyes, wondering why she had never noticed before just how intense they were.  
  
"Oh...yeah...sorry, I was a million miles away," she said, feeling a tinge of embarrassment at being caught ogling.   
  
"Not from what I saw," grinned Dave, his gaze sweeping over her body.   
  
Cleo could feel the heat rise in her face as she watched him. She had the unnerving feeling that he was mentally undressing her...and from the bulge in his pants, she had a feeling that he liked what he was 'seeing'.  
  
"Anyway," he said, "Guess it's time I was out of here."  
  
"You don't have to go," blurted out Cleo. "I mean...you must be thirsty...after...after all your hard work. I could get you a beer...or a glass of wine..."  
  
Dave raised an eyebrow. "I really should be going..."  
  
"If you're worried about the agency...I...I can always call them...book you in for another hour or so." Cleo knew the minute she'd said the words, that they were a mistake.  
  
Dave's smile disappeared, and his voice was cold as he said, "Not everything in the world can be bought." Pulling on his jacket, he headed for the door.  
  
"Dave, I'm sorry," said Cleo, "I...I didn't mean to offend you...I'm sorry..."  
  
"Yeah...you're sorry. Well so am I." Turning to look her squarely in the eye. "I know I'm stuck for cash most of the time. Hell, if I wasn't, I wouldn't be doing *this*...but there's some things that I just *won't* take money for."  
  
Looking at his watch, he said, "Looks like your time is up...from now on I'm my own man." Without a backwards glance, he left, pulling the door closed behind him.  
  
Cleo slumped into a chair and cursed her tactlessness. Why had she mentioned money...why hadn't she just told him she was attracted to him and asked him to stay?   
  
The sound of a banging on the door a few minutes later dragged her out of her despondency.  
  
"I'm coming, I'm coming," she muttered as she headed over to the door. Without thinking to check who it was, she flung it open saying, "What the hell..." Her voice trailed off as she saw Dave standing there.  
  
"Like I said...from here on in, I'm my own man...so if you still want me to stay..."  
  
The words were barely out of his mouth before Cleo grabbed him by his jacket and dragged him back into the apartment. The door was quickly shut behind them as she wrapped her arms around his waist and started kissing him.   
  
Dave's hands were running up and down Cleo's back and his tongue was searching out the inner recesses of her mouth. Finally they paused for breath and he pulled away slightly.  
  
Cleo traced a line down his face with a perfectly manicured nail. "Is that a mop in your pocket, or are you just pleased to see me?" she asked in mock innocence.  
  
"I'm *very* pleased to see you," said Dave, bending his head and nuzzling at her neck.   
  
Cleo felt her knees buckle as he planted a row of delicate kisses. "Oh God," she said, clutching at him for support.  
  
Looking him in the eye she said, "Upstairs...*now*."  
  
Dave nodded, and then without a pause, he swept her into his arms and headed for the stairs. "You sure you wouldn't rather do it here?" he teased.   
  
Cleo made a face. "Once was enough...I had bruises from the edge of the steps and Peter...well, lets just say that the stairs weren't as 'smooth' as they should have been." She giggled at the memory of how embarrassed Peter had been when she had to dig splinters out of his ass...not to mention how *nervous* he had been as well.  
"Besides," she added. "I keep my condoms upstairs."  
  
"Then lets go up," said Dave, as he shifted Cleo's weight in his arms before moving on up the stairs.  
  
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Dave carefully placed Cleo on her bed and then stood back for a better look.  
  
Cleo stretched out and asked seductively, "Do you like what you see?"  
  
Dave nodded and said, "Oh yeah...but I'd like it a lot better if I could see *more* of it..."  
  
Cleo smiled, showing her perfect teeth. "That can be arranged," she said, as she started to unbutton her blouse.  
  
"Here...let me," said Dave, climbing onto the bed astride her. Bending his head, he kissed her full on the lips...not as roughly as his earlier kisses had been...but slower, and more seductive. His hands moved gently over Cleo's chest, gently caressing her breasts, before finally undoing her buttons. Pulling the silky material to the side, he bent his head and laid a trail of kisses down her chest until he was stopped by the lace of her bra. With the ease of experience, he slid a hand underneath her and unfastened it, removing it with a flamboyant gesture.  
  
"You've done this before," teased Cleo, before gasping as she felt his tongue flick gently around her nipples.  
  
Dave lifted his head to grin at her before returning to the task at hand. "You have *no* idea," he mumbled.  
  
Cleo groaned in delight as she felt his hands at her waist...fumbling at her belt buckle. Eagerly she lifted her hips and allowed her trousers to be pulled off. They and her panties soon joined the growing pile of clothes beside her bed. Suddenly impatient, she pulled at Dave's t-shirt, dragging it off over his head.  
  
"Easy tiger," laughed Dave, as Cleo started pulling at his jeans. "Have a little patience."  
  
"Patience my ass," muttered Cleo as she finally got his buckle undone. "I'm horny."  
  
"And I'm Dave...pleased to meet you." Pulling off the rest of his clothes, he poised himself just above Cleo's waiting body.   
  
She frowned as she saw the faint line of a scar on his shoulder. Reaching up, she traced it delicately down his arm. "Is this one of your 'piranha' scars?" she teased him.   
  
Dave pulled her hand away and kissed it, "I'll tell you later," he whispered.  
  
Cleo moaned in delight as she felt his hands caress her body...moving slowly downward. Then she groaned as they stopped moving.  
  
"You said something about condoms?" asked Dave, pulling slightly away from Cleo, but leaving one hand just teasing gently at her crotch. Dave's fingers were doing what she wanted the rest of him to be doing. She could already feel herself going over the edge. God! He was good!  
  
Cleo was barely able to concentrate through the gentle strokes of Dave's hand. "In...in the nightstand," she gasped. "Top...top drawer." Closing her eyes, she heard the sound of the drawer being opened followed by the familiar sound of a condom being opened. She felt Dave's weight on top of her and eagerly wrapped herself around him as he guided his by now fully erect cock to her entrance.   
  
"You sure about this?" he teased her gently.   
  
"Damn right I am," she gasped as she felt him push against her. She moaned with pleasure as she felt him enter her, his body thrusting against hers. Then he did something she hadn't expected, he stopped moving. She opened her eyes and was shocked to find him watching her. "What?" she asked breathlessly.  
  
"You're beautiful," he groaned.  
  
"You're not so bad yourself, Malucci," she said. He smiled down at her and slowly began moving inside of her. Each time he moved he touched another spot---each spot more erotic than the last. She reached up and pulled him closer as he began thrusting faster and faster, harder and harder until she came, screaming in delight.   
  
Once she regained her composure she opened her eyes again. Dave's were now closed...his mouth slightly open, his breath ragged and rough. She reached down and ran her hands over his body, her touch causing him to drop his head and groan. Dave stopped moving for a minute in what she knew was a futile attempt to delay the inevitable. He began pumping again...and with her remaining strength, she clenched her muscles around him. Dave threw his head back and she heard him cry out in ecstasy, and then he was coming inside of her, his body tensing briefly before finally going limp on top of her.  
  
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Afterwards, Cleo lay contentedly in Dave's arms...it had been so long since she had felt so close to anyone like this.   
  
"Penny for your thoughts," she heard Dave say.   
  
"I...I never thought anyone would hold me like this again," said Cleo.   
  
Dave kissed her softly on the back of her neck. "Because you were exposed to HIV? You know that the odds of you getting it are tiny?"  
  
Cleo nodded. "Some people think that even tiny odds are too big a chance to take." By 'some people', she was of course referring to Peter, who had managed to make all sorts of excuses for avoiding sex with her. She could have lived with that...after all, he was a surgeon...he couldn't take the risk of being infected. But it was the way he had avoided touching her at all...that had been the final straw. A brief kiss on the top of her head...that was as close as they had come to physical contact in the weeks after her exposure.   
"I'm beginning to realize that, but Pe..."  
  
"Cleo, would you mind if we not talk about Benton right now?" he interrupted her gently.  
  
"Sure," she said softly, not wanting to talk about him anyway. Cleo closed her eyes as she snuggled up against his warm body. Maybe she was only another notch on Malucci's bedpost...maybe this night was a 'once-in-a-lifetime' opportunity...she didn't dare let herself hope that this was more than that. For now she wasn't alone...and that was what counted.  
  
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End file.
